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Chevrolet Cavalier: Head Gasket Issues

58 messages,  Last post on Oct 09, 2009 at 7:36 AM

You are in the Chevrolet Cavalier Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Cavalier, Engine, Sedan


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#2 of 58
Head Gasket problems..... by mandi77
Jun 21, 2005 (11:01 am)
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Hi, I was just searching the web for help with my cavalier, and came across this website, how awesome is this. I never knew this stuff was available. Anyways, I was reading some of the posts and it appears as though 95's have a history with crappy headgaskets. Am I making a fair assumption? I recently (January 2005)bought a 95 cavalier 2.2l Coupe, and within 1 month I had to have the head gasket done. Now it is June 21, and guess what, I am having the head gasket done AGAIN! Is this normal? Am I going to keep having this problem every 6 months? Any ideas of what could be causing this? I was told back in January that they replaced the thermostat when they did the head gasket, but I think they were full of it! It's gotten to the point when I am waiting at a traffic light, I have to turn off my car so it won't overheat! Makes for a unejoyable experience. BUT....I STILL LOVE MY CAR!!
Mandi
#3 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [mandi77] by mdaffron
Jun 22, 2005 (7:13 am)
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Replying to: mandi77 (Jun 21, 2005 11:01 am)

Mandi -- SELL THAT CAR!!! RUN AWAY FROM IT VERY, VERY FAST!!!
 
My wife and I traded our otherwise perfectly good 1995 Cavalier for a Mazda Protege5 in 2002 because, at 52,000 miles, we were in need of our FOURTH head gasket in the car! Chevy knew there was a problem and warranted the original head gasket for 100,000 miles -- but once you had the original replaced, you were on your own to the tune of about $600 each time. Oh, we went back and forth with the dealership and GM, to no avail. The first head gasket went at about 32,000 miles, and each subsequent one went anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 miles before busting open and covering the engine with smelly green antifreeze. We got really tired of cleaning pools of antifreeze off our driveway and choking up $600 annually for a car that was so young. By comparison, by the way, the 2002 Protege5 has just crossed 50,000 miles and has yet to visit the shop for a problem of any kind.
 
It was one thing for GM to have a bad engine, but something even worse to not come clean and issue a recall for the real defect. They put band-aids on the problem instead of fixing the problem itself -- -- a poorly designed HEAD -- and then left their customers hanging. For that reason we now refer to my wife's former car as the "Crapalier" and have vowed never to patronize General Motors again.
 
If you love the Cavalier so much, trade it -- quick -- for a 1997 or newer model with the Ecotec engine. It'll be the same look and the same interior, but with a much more reliable engine under the hood.
 
Meade
#4 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [mandi77] by candie
Jun 22, 2005 (7:25 am)
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Replying to: mandi77 (Jun 21, 2005 11:01 am)

Hi Mandy: I have the same car, '95 Chevy Cavalier purchased 6 months ago. I too am now having the head gasket replaced. So far I've had the crank shaft replaced, the compressor, the idler tensioner (3x) the serpentine belt (3x), new battery, new muffler, new tires, new spark plugs, later new spark plug wires, the list goes on and on. I feel in love with the "looks" of the car, which outwardly is in excellent shape, but I am wondering if this car isn't just a piece of "junk". I've been told on auto chats that they call the Cavalier a Cadaver or "a disposable vehicle." I so didn't want to believe it, but some $2,400 later, I'd be an idiot not to see that the quality of this car is way below others. Mine has only 28,800 miles on it, so I never expected all of this. I'll let you know how long the "head gasket" lasts once its installed, if more than once, we will KNOW for certain its a problem with our particular model. To answer your question: I don't think its normal, not for any car to keep needing parts replaced so quickly.
#5 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [candie] by joe3891
Jun 22, 2005 (9:01 am)
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Replying to: candie (Jun 22, 2005 7:25 am)

I hate to say this but you have to be a DIY with a big tool box to own a Cavalier. I have had a 85, 92, 94 and a 2000, I now own a 04 Malibu.
#6 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [joe3891] by mdaffron
Jun 22, 2005 (9:44 am)
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Replying to: joe3891 (Jun 22, 2005 9:01 am)

Just curious why you bought another Chevrolet product after a comment like that?
 
Meade
#7 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [mdaffron] by pat HOST
Jun 22, 2005 (9:51 am)
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Replying to: mdaffron (Jun 22, 2005 9:44 am)

This is the wrong place to get into why he bought a Malibu. We're talking about the Cavalier, as you know. Thanks.
#8 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [joe3891] by candie
Jun 22, 2005 (10:38 am)
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Replying to: joe3891 (Jun 22, 2005 9:01 am)

I too am wondering if I am such a DYI why you continued to buy Cavaliers after 1992? BTW, what is a DYI?
 
For the record, I purchased the '95 Cavalier because it was all I could afford. The car looked well taken care of, had exceptionally low mileage; I ran a carfax on it, and believe I did everything possible to assure myself that this was a "good little vehicle for me." I had no idea that the car had gasket and all of the other problems because I had my mechaniccheck it out (who until then I trusted) tell me it was a "great" little car, buy it! Some of us can't just purchase a vehicle and "run" either. Nice thought but I'm not one who can.
#9 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [mdaffron] by joe3891
Jun 24, 2005 (8:22 am)
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Replying to: mdaffron (Jun 22, 2005 9:44 am)

The Cavalier is a to be kind a cheap car, the 04 Malibu is not a cheap car. As far as a Cavalier goes I did not put a lot of money into any of them but the 2000 was the worst of the bunch. Before 40 K heater blower resistor and valve cover gasket, had to put neither on my 94 that went to 120 K before trading. The 2000 got totaled, nobody injured so I was actually glad. If not for the accident I would probably still have it. I still have my large tool box for the Malibu when its gets off warranty. You can operate any car cheap if you do most all your own work.
#10 of 58
Re: Head Gasket problems..... [candie] by joe3891
Jun 24, 2005 (8:38 am)
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Replying to: candie (Jun 22, 2005 10:38 am)

OK I will set the record straight. I bought [ 4 ] Cavaliers because they are a simple car, easy to work on, parts are cheap. I am thrifty , so that’s why I bought 4. Here’s an example the 94 had a head gasket leak at 80 K, I replace the head gasket for a total cost of $15, plus an oil an filter change. When I traded it 40K later it was still not leaking, but you got be a DIY, actually I am also an ex Tech. I wanted the Malibu because it was cheap and loaded, hard to sell a first year model, sorry Host.
 

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